Tragic Truth Behind Polar Bear Carcasses Found On Russian Island

Tragic Truth Behind Polar Bear Carcasses Found On Russian Island

A Russian ecological team who were sent to Vilkitsky Island were shocked to find scores of polar bear carcasses.

The team, who were sent by President Valdimir Putin to clean up any post-Soviet toxic debris as part of his campaign to clean up the Arctic, found at least six bullet riddled bodies with their heads and skins ripped off.

Gun cartridges were found at the scene of the massacre – particularly concerning as under Russian and international law the shooting of endangered polar bears is illegal.

Serbian Times

Fears of a cover up were sparked when police from Yamalo-Nenets – the autonomous region of Russia – were reluctant to launch a criminal investigation with concerns poachers may have have been behind the massacre.

TheDaily Mail reports that the remains of the polar bears could be spotted because of the ‘summer snow’ on the deserted Kara Sea island.

It’s thought the skins of these polar bears will fetch a hefty price tag once they go on the black market, with prices starting from at least £13,000.

Wikipedia

Head of the Russian Centre of Arctic Exploration, Andrey Baryshnikov, explained that:

When they spotted the carcasses they immediately got in touch with me via satellite connection because this is a very serious case… We passed the information to the police.

It’s not clear as to when the polar bears were shot but the ongoing investigation is hoping to determine a time and date.